Wanna bet?
by LizDarcy1
Summary: Harry wants to prove Hermione wrong. Oneparter. Just some extremefluff to cure writer's block. Rating is a precaution.


A/N- this is just a little exercise to relieve writer's block.  I know the plot's cliché, but that's why it's only an exercise.  They are in their 5th year, nothing from OoTP has happened.  It's just a normal year. Reviews are always appreciated, especially the ones that tell me what I can do better.

PS- I've been reading a lot of romance novels lately, so they might have influenced this just a bit.  ;)

Disclaimer- don't own anything

_"A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous." **Ingrid Berman**_

     "Had an owl from Krum lately?"  Harry and Hermione were alone in the Common Room when he posed this question.  They were sitting not-so-close and not-so-faraway from each other on the settee facing the fire. Harry was sprawled out studying a Quidditch play book, and Hermione was sitting ramrod straight with her feet tucked primly under her reading some incredibly obscure, incredibly heavy tome.  She let the book fall slack as she turned her attention to Harry.

     "No, not for a while now," she replied, wondering why he'd asked.  They'd been enjoying a companionable silence for a while, and Hermione was happy for the interruption.  Really, learning esoteric facts by heart is exhausting work.

     "Hunh," was Harry's only comment.  Hermione waited for him to expand.  When he remained silent, she shrugged and returned to her book.

     "You'd think you would've," Harry blurted out several minutes later.  "I mean he was so in love with you, you'd think he would write more often."  Hermione stared.  Where was this coming from?

     "Well, he wasn't _in love_ with me."

     "Sure he was.  You were the most precious thing to him in the second task of the tournament, remember?"

     "True," she said cautiously.  Harry had never questioned her about Krum before.  It was just so random for him to start doing so now.  She carefully set her book down and faced him fully.  "I'm not saying he didn't like me a great deal, but, really, 'love' is such a strong word."

     "Still, if he's your boyfriend—"

     "Wait a minute," she broke in.  "_Boyfriend_?"

     "Yeah.  Isn't that what he is?" 

     "Well, he's a boy and he's my friend, but I wouldn't go so far as to juxtapose the two words."

     "Why not?  You kissed him, didn't you?"    
     "Yes, but that doesn't mean we go out.  Besides, the kisses weren't anything special."

     "They weren't?"

     "No.  They were just small 3-second kisses with perhaps a 5-second one thrown in every now and then for variety.  Really, I am beginning to think that kissing is overrated.  I mean, it's just skin touching skin.  It's like arms touching or knees touching.  Not worthy of more than a sentence or two in my diary.  I honestly don't see what all the hullabaloo is about."  She tried to return to her book.  Talking about kissing with Harry was _not_ something she was comfortable with.

     "You just haven't had the right person kiss you yet."  Hermione sighed.  Obviously he was not going to let it go.  She set aside the book again and considered his question.

     "No," she said thoughtfully.  "I don't think that's it.  I liked Krum very much, and it still wasn't anything to get excited about.  I really don't believe it would be like that with anybody.  Like I said, it's just like touching anywhere else."  Hermione didn't really think this, of course.  She knew that if the right person kissed her, it would take up at least fifty pages in her diary.  The right person, though, was a clueless Quidditch player with a scar on his forehead, and he wasn't exactly known for his perceptiveness when it came to the opposite sex.  Truly, Hermione marveled at how Harry could sense evil so easily; but when a girl flirted with him, he was oblivious to the point of thinking the girl slightly deranged.  Many a time she had seen Lavender Brown try to cozy up to him, laughing too hard at his jokes, fluttering her eyelashes, etc., only to have him come away shaking his head and saying, "I think Lavender's got something wrong with her eye.  Someone should tell her to get it checked out."

     "Bet I could prove you wrong." Startled out of her reverie, Hermione glanced at him.  What had they been talking of?

     "Prove me wrong about what?"

     "Your kissing theory." 

     "Oh really?" She feigned nonchalance.   Why, oh why did her heart have to start racing?  Surely he would notice.    "How?"

     "5 galleons say that I could give you a mind-blowing, life-altering kiss."

     "You, Harry?"  Hermione raised an eyebrow skeptically, all the while trying to keep her face from flushing.  Five galleons was a pittance to pay for a kiss from him, but what would be the cost to her heart?  If this was all a game to him, a way to satisfy his curiosity (really, how many people haven't wondered what it would be like to kiss their best friend?), she didn't know if she could stand it.

     "Yeah, me," he returned.  She scrutinized him carefully, searching for a sign that he _wanted_ to kiss her, not just prove her wrong.  As always, though, his eyes were shuttered.  Displayed emotions give the enemy the advantage, and that was one thing Harry had learned not to do.  Hermione sighed.  It didn't matter what his reasons were.  She would kiss him because it was not in her to turn him down.  

     "All right," she said with a boldness she did not feel.  "You're on."  Hermione didn't really remember Krum's kisses they had happened so quickly, so she wasn't quite sure what to do.  She scrunched her eyes closed, puckered her lips slightly, and waited.  Nothing happened.  She opened an eye.  Harry was awkwardly hunched over, his face in his hands, shoulders shaking.  Alarmed, Hermione touched his shoulder.

     "Harry, are you okay?  Are you _crying?_"

     "I'm sorry," he gasped.  "I'm sorry.  You just looked so funny all—" he mimicked her expression, barely able to contain his laughter.  Hermione was decidedly unamused.

     "Harry, really, if you're going to make fun of me, we'll just call this thing off right now."  She reached for her book

     "Wait, no," Harry stopped her, composing himself.  "Okay, I'm sorry, I'm ready."  He scooted a little closer to her and placed his hands on her shoulders.  "Just relax, 'Mione."  Hermione breathed in, counted to five, and breathed out, trying to steady her jangling nerves.

     "Okay, I'm ready."  She closed her eyes.  She felt Harry hover over her for a second before he lowered his lips to hers.  She held herself stiff, trying to gauge her reaction, but Harry would have none of it.  He pulled her closer, coaxing her lips open.  Then his tongue was in her mouth, and she couldn't think, couldn't even breathe.  She let instinct take over and threw herself into the kiss.  She ran her hands up his chest and over his back, pulling him closer until there was no air between them.  He let the kiss get deeper, taking in as much of her as he could, before finally dragging himself away.  Hermione sank back into the couch, breathing heavily, trying to gather her scattered emotions.  Harry had just ripped her soul out.  What was she going to do if he didn't want it?  _Please,_ she prayed silently, _please let him love me back.  Don't let this be just some experiment.  I don't think I could handle it._  She let Harry pull her back into his arms. 

     "Harry?" she breathed, eyes wide, heart vulnerable. 

     "Mm?"  He was occupied scattering kisses along her jaw and searching for the elusive pulse just below her ear.

     "What_ was _that?"  She tilted her head to give him better access.

     "_That _was a kiss."

     "That wasn't a kiss.  That was—I don't know _what_ that was."  Harry pulled back from her throat, smiling smugly.

     "Thank you."

     "Pig," she laughed, smacking his shoulder playfully.  "What does it mean?"

     "It means I'm an amazing kisser."

     "Harry, seriously!"

     "Seriously?  It means I love you, Hermione.  I've always loved you.  It means _I'm_ the person you're supposed to kiss.  We were made for each other, and I mean to keep you."  Hermione gaped at him.  This had to be a dream.  It was much too good to be true.

     "Oh.  Oh, Harry."

     "That is if you'll have me," he qualified quickly.  "I understand perfectly if you won't."  She smiled at the insecurity she heard in his voice.  Idiot.  Couldn't he see how she felt about him?

     "Don't be stupid, Harry.  I've loved you forever.  Now come here and disprove my theory some more."  Filled with relief and only too happy to oblige, Harry did as he was told.  They kissed for a few minutes until he pulled back, glancing at her slyly.

     "You know what else it means?"

     "What?"  
     "You owe me 5 galleons."

The End!  Hope you liked it!  I apologize sincerely for the kissing scene, but I hope the rest of it is good.  Review please!!

LizDarcy


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